Do you wish God was real?

[Longhorn]

That and 24/7 surveillance, not to mention ultimate authority bothers me about the idea of god. It's just unsettling

[iburnwater]

Because we think it's true.

you said as long as you're good, you go to heaven.

Why mass? Why confession? Why rituals? Why bible? Why anything? Just be good And you're covered.

The Catholic dogma is also not really biblical.  I was Catholic and then I became a Christian (prior to my becoming atheist).  You just have the Pope telling you it's all good--but that is not what the Bible says and the Bible is the Word of God.

[abaris]

That and 24/7 surveillance, not to mention ultimate authority bothers me about the idea of god. It's just unsettling

To be fair, CL made a remark in her OP, that you could choose any god, not just the Abrahamic one. The gods of old weren't the NSA, but I stand by my judgment anyway. What's the point of having a god?

[iburnwater]

That and 24/7 surveillance, not to mention ultimate authority bothers me about the idea of god. It's just unsettling

To be fair, CL made a remark in her OP, that you could choose any god, not just the Abrahamic one. The gods of old weren't the NSA, but I stand by my judgment anyway. What's the point of having a god?

To explain science 

[Longhorn]

That and 24/7 surveillance, not to mention ultimate authority bothers me about the idea of god. It's just unsettling

To be fair, CL made a remark in her OP, that you could choose any god, not just the Abrahamic one. The gods of old weren't the NSA, but I stand by my judgment anyway. What's the point of having a god?

ok, but what qualities does a god need to have to be a god? I wouldn't mind a deity that wouldn't interfere, but any theistic god(s) seem like overpowered dictators, even if loving.

[Cyberman]

I've said it before, but personally I would wish for the Abrahamic God to be real, so that I could hunt it down with my anti-God crossbow and have its head on my wall.

[Mr.wizard]

Absolutely not if we are talking about the god of the bible.

[Iroscato]

So this thread seems to have handily gone off into a tangent, but nevertheless I will try and explain my answer of 'other'.

The main reason I answered Other is easily summed up; I do not care either way. I don't think there is the slightest amount of evidence for a higher power of any kind that can easily be explained by natural processes or things that require far fewer logic leaps, but even if there was evidence that pointed to the existence of a god, I most likely still wouldn't be that bothered. Much as I can bring myself to be only mildly interested in politics at the best of times, I care little for the affairs of the powerful and their lofty plans.

What I do care about is people. My friends. My family. The people I would kill for, and die for in the same day. The people who have made my life worth living and have given me endless amounts of joy, and the occasional amount of pain. The ones who have populated my existence often with their mere background presence, which has been enough to make even my worst days feel in some way manageable. I have never needed a god to believe in, or to fight in the name of. I have only ever needed the company and encouragement of others, and it's allowed me to live a life worth living - the most precious gift of all.

If there is a higher power of any kind, it has never made its presence known in my life. Religion has been of no use or comfort to me - there was no reply from Jesus when I begged him through tears to save me, every single day of my childhood. The only thing I've ever seen worth living for has been this tangible, real, strangely beautiful experience we call life, and the people around you who experience it with you.

[Rhondazvous]

To be fair, CL made a remark in her OP, that you could choose any god, not just the Abrahamic one. The gods of old weren't the NSA, but I stand by my judgment anyway. What's the point of having a god?

ok, but what qualities does a god need to have to be a god? I wouldn't mind a deity that wouldn't interfere, but any theistic god(s) seem like overpowered dictators, even if loving.

How could god exist in any meaningful way and not interfere. If he let us know that he exist, that by itself would be an interference. Could you sleep well knowing that some being had the power to interfere and all you could do is take his word that he wouldn't?

Just create things and go on his way. That would mean wishing for things to be the way they are.

How about a magic genie in a bottle? No, then we would be the gods and he'd be shaking his fist at us.

[Catholic_Lady]

I don't know what we would be if we didn't have free will. Think about that for a second. This would mean that we would have no control over our bodies or our minds. We would just be empty shells... hand puppets.  We would have no emotions. We would be nothing. I would not exist, and neither would you.

So yes, I'd consider this not existing at all, because that's what it would be.

With free will, we can exist. We still have the choice to try our best to live good lives and love others. I'd rather exist and take my chances with Hell, than not exist at all (which is basically what would mean if I had no free will.)

It seems as if you are saying that free will is our ability to make decisions and think for ourselves.  It's what drives one person to decide he will be a journalist, and another to decide that she will learn to play the guitar.  It's what makes chocolate chip ice cream your favorite dessert, but strawberry cheesecake your husband's preference.  It's why you love to wear blue jeans instead of a skirt, or a big floppy hat instead of a baseball cap.  Does that sound right?  Those are the things that differentiate us from one another.  Is that what free will does for us?

I'd say it's part of it, yes. Is there something else you had in mind?

---

Because we think it's true.

you said as long as you're good, you go to heaven.

Why mass? Why confession? Why rituals? Why bible? Why anything? Just be good And you're covered.

You're making it a little too cut and dry. :-)

I think if a person honestly does not believe God exists and cannot bring him/herself to believe in God, I don't see how it can be held against them for eternity eternity.

But if someone does believe, then I do think they have a certain calling to try to build a relationship with Jesus.

---

So this thread seems to have handily gone off into a tangent, but nevertheless I will try and explain my answer of 'other'.

The main reason I answered Other is easily summed up; I do not care either way. I don't think there is the slightest amount of evidence for a higher power of any kind that can easily be explained by natural processes or things that require far fewer logic leaps, but even if there was evidence that pointed to the existence of a god, I most likely still wouldn't be that bothered. Much as I can bring myself to be only mildly interested in politics at the best of times, I care little for the affairs of the powerful and their lofty plans.

What I do care about is people. My friends. My family. The people I would kill for, and die for in the same day. The people who have made my life worth living and have given me endless amounts of joy, and the occasional amount of pain. The ones who have populated my existence often with their mere background presence, which has been enough to make even my worst days feel in some way manageable. I have never needed a god to believe in, or to fight in the name of. I have only ever needed the company and encouragement of others, and it's allowed me to live a life worth living - the most precious gift of all.

If there is a higher power of any kind, it has never made its presence known in my life. Religion has been of no use or comfort to me - there was no reply from Jesus when I begged him through tears to save me, every single day of my childhood. The only thing I've ever seen worth living for has been this tangible, real, strangely beautiful experience we call life, and the people around you who experience it with you.

Thanks for the thoughtful reply!